LAS VEGAS, NV — A wrong way crash on Interstate 15 near Las Vegas Motor Speedway killed two people early Friday and shut down all northbound lanes of the freeway, according to Nevada Highway Patrol.
Trooper Shawn Haggstrom said investigators responded around 3:22 a.m. north of mile marker 54. Authorities believe three vehicles were involved, including two four door sedans and a semi tractor trailer. One sedan was headed southbound in the northbound lanes before the collision.
Both sedan drivers died at the scene. The semi driver was not hurt and stayed with investigators after the crash.
Wrong way sedan appears to have triggered the collision
Investigators said one of the sedans was traveling in the wrong direction on the northbound side of I 15 before the impact. That detail is central to the preliminary understanding of the crash, though officials have not yet released a full reconstruction.
The vehicles involved were both described as four door sedans, along with the semi tractor trailer. Nevada Highway Patrol has not said which sedan was moving the wrong way or whether either driver made any last second maneuver before the collision.
Authorities also have not released the names of the people who died. More information is expected after the preliminary investigation is completed.
Two drivers were killed and one truck driver escaped injury
The crash was fatal for both people driving the sedans. Nevada State Police confirmed those two drivers were pronounced dead where the collision happened.
The driver of the semi tractor trailer was not injured, according to investigators. That driver remained at the scene after the crash and spoke with officers as they gathered evidence.
No passengers were mentioned in the initial details released by authorities. Officials have not said whether either sedan carried anyone else.
Northbound I 15 shut down near mile marker 54
All northbound travel lanes of I 15 were closed at mile marker 54 after the wreck. Traffic was diverted off the freeway at the I 15 and Speedway exit, one of the main access points near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway area.
Drivers were then routed to Las Vegas Boulevard North before being directed back toward the I 15 and Apex area to continue north. The closure affected a busy corridor used by commuters, freight traffic and drivers heading toward northern Clark County.
Officials said it was not clear how long the northbound lanes would stay shut down.
Nevada Highway Patrol says more details will follow
Trooper Shawn Haggstrom said more information will be released after a preliminary investigation. For now, officials have given only the early facts they have confirmed from the crash scene.
Those details include the time of the crash the location near the Speedway and the fact that a wrong way vehicle was involved. Investigators have not yet said what caused the sedan to enter the northbound lanes heading southbound.
Crash investigations of this kind often take time because officers must document vehicle positions roadway evidence and witness accounts before drawing conclusions.
What drivers should know while the closure remains in place
Because all northbound lanes were closed, motorists in the area were being pushed off the interstate and onto surface streets. That kind of detour can quickly slow traffic near the Speedway and in nearby industrial and travel routes.
Until the closure is lifted, drivers heading north on I 15 may need to plan for delays and alternate routes through the Las Vegas area. Officials have not provided a reopening estimate.
The crash also underscores how quickly a wrong way collision can interrupt a major freeway corridor in southern Nevada, especially during the early morning hours when traffic is lighter but speeds are still high.
